New alliance?
1:33

The Premier's refusing to comment about the possibility of facing a Clive Palmer-Bob Katter political alliance as speculation swirls of more LNP defections to the Palmer party

TEN

01 May 2014

News

CLIVE Palmer has been caught out misleading the public over his plans for a Coalition-style alliance with the Katter Party.

The self-proclaimed billionaire yesterday took to the airwaves to deny reports in The Courier-Mail that the two minor parties were in talks over how to combine forces on the floor of State Parliament to topple Labor as the official Opposition.

But several Katter Party figures – including founder Bob Katter, and national president Shane Paulger – confirmed the discussions, with Mr Paulger saying Mr Palmer was merely “playing hard to get”.

Anderson lauds 'new force' of Palmer
1:24

Indigenous politician Alison Anderson has described the PUP as 'the new force in Australian politics'.

Sky News

28 Apr 2014

News

The strategy has LNP bosses worried, with some suggesting the party hierarchy has even drawn up a list of MPs that might be vulnerable to such approaches.

A Palmer Party heavyweight said: “We are keen to talk to those people that the LNP want to cut.

“If people express interest in joining the PUP, we will have a look at them and debate it as a party.”

Meanwhile, it can be revealed the Palmer Party has agreed to not run candidates against sitting MPs representing the Katter Party – which itself now says it will push for a formal alliance this year.

Before their merger, the Liberal and National parties traditionally stuck to a “no-three-cornered contests” agreement for seats held by an incumbent from either party under their Coalition deals. They also voted as a bloc in Parliament.

Senior KAP members are now openly calling for a deal to be struck, with MP Shane Knuth saying he wanted to see one by the end of the year.

Dr Douglas, the Palmer Party’s Queensland parliamentary leader, who was elected as an LNP candidate, said: “I won’t say I won’t look at it, I will look at anything.”

Dr Douglas said there was already a loose voting alliance between the parties, and confirmed it was “highly unlikely” his party would campaign in seats held by KAP’s three state MPs – or Mr Wellington.

Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk said yesterday she was not concerned by the threat of a combined Katter-Palmer force.

“For more than a century the Labor Party has formed the Government or Opposition in Queensland and I don’t see that changing,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

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